


Gentlemen in Love

by ultraglamourous



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha Harry, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst with a Happy Ending, Break Up, Crying Louis, Gentle Harry, Happy Ending, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Louis, Rich Harry, Romance, Rutting, The break up is temporary, larry is endgame
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-08
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-09-22 22:45:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9628568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultraglamourous/pseuds/ultraglamourous
Summary: They've broken up for a while. They both still love each other. Will they get back together?Hint: OFC :DA wip, more chapters to come.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have other works I really should write for but this had to be done first haha :)

Louis turned on his side and tried to ignore the constant buzzing noise coming from his phone on the bedside table. The sound felt particularly heightened to his ears, partly because it was against a solid table top and this made the soft sound seem harsher; partly because it was the middle of the night, mostly silent and all he wanted to do was sleep before work tomorrow. He had to get up for 6am and it was 2.34am already. Fuck, he whispered as he momentarily opened his weary eyes to glance dow at his digital alarm clock.

Louis had learnt to ignore the sounds of sirens, cars etc coming from the main road near his humble abode but it was quite difficult to ignore the buzzing in comparision. He finally moved to take his phone off of vibrate and onto total silence instead. He groaned.Before bed, he'd already turned his phone ringer off in favour of vibration and here he was, taking it up a notch. He wasn't surprised to see who the constant caller and messager was. Nor was he surprised to see that the number of missed calls and unread messages had entered triple digits. He swiftly rejected their call. And again. And again.

Fucking alphas, he thought. God, just fuck off!

He swiped his phone again to reject once more before he sighed and moved to lie down again. He closed his eyes but could see he was no longer in total darkness.

The phone began to light up as indicator that someone was calling.

Fucking hell, he muttered. He resolved to just answer the phone so the calls would stop at last and he could finally sleep. He picked up the next call that came on his phone and answered in an irritable tone. 'Yes?'

'Louis!' the voice on the other side exclaimed in joy. 'You finally picked up, baby. I-,' the voice began but Louis interrupted, his anger growing.

'You have 1 minute. Then I'm hanging up if you go over your quota,' he said quite firmly.

'Ok,' said the voice softly. 'Whatever you want, dear. Lou, I love you. Please-.'

'Er, let me stop you there. This was- this is- I can't- I don't want to hear what you're going to say if it is what I think it is. Harry, I have work tomorrow! I don't want to be...,' Louis said in a panicked voice at first and then trailing off in a desperate whimper. 'I don't want to do this now,' he stated simply, trying not to start crying and swiping one hand through his fringe.

'Ok,' Harry said. He sounded emotionless and Louis knew he was trying to be as nice as he could to make Louis feel comfortable again without acting on his own feelings. 'I understand. I'm really sorry, Lou. I forgot your schedule! Do you want me to drop you off tomorrow? Are you still taking the train? You could sleep for longer if I drop you off,' Harry suggested, horrified with the realisation that he must have kept Louis up all night with his incessant attempts to communicate with the omega.

'Fuck no! Maybe. Yes. No. I don't know. I don't know if it's a good idea for us to be together.'

'It's just for the morning, babe. It won't even take that long, The drive is super quick,' Harry said soothingly and Louis contemplated his offer seriously. He usually commuted to work using the train and a bus and the total journey time equalled 1.5 hours. With Harry driving him, it would be a speedy 20 minutes from his door to the office reception.

'Harry, we really shouldn't...we''re not together,' Louis said, defeated and absolutely tired out.

'I kept you up and you'll be up again soon. I feel terrible. If I drive you, you'll get your minimum 6 hours.' Harry knew Louis needed sleep and he knew exactly how much he needed to function properly. 'Let me do this once.'

'Fuck, fine. Do you think you could pop by mine a bit earlier to make sure I'm up and ready?'

'Of course!'

Louis hesitated with his next question. 'Could you bring or make me breakfast please? Just in case I'm not totally ready!'

'Yes, anything for you.'

'What about..,' Louis trailed off as he paused to sleep for a quick second, thinking he could talk and close his eyes.

'What is it, Louis?'

'Don't worry about it, Haz. I forgot you're not my boyfriend. Never mind,' Louis said slowly, his eyes still closed.

'Are you sleeping now?'

'No,' Louis whispered.

'Yes,' Harry said good-naturedly. Louis imagined Harry smiling as he spoke that last word.

'Lunch is what I wanted. A nice little packed lunch box like you used to make me,' Louis said slightly distraught suddenly in his partial sleep.

'Oh Lou,' Harry said softly. 'I still can.'

Louis felt a happy whoop inside his heart and wished he still had Harry to hug and hold his hand too. Those were good days.

'We can still do that too, even now, Lou. It can still be the good days,' Harry said kindly.

'Harry, I'm sleeping but my mind is still set. I love you, you love me, we've broken up and we can't just go back to how we were before. Not just yet. If you keep talking like that, I could imagine you're trying to lure me back.'

'I'm not gonna lie, you know I will try it on.'

'I love your honesty. Good night Harry.'

'Good night, Lou.'

'Do not fucking dare to call me again until morning, sweetie, and please make me eggs tommorow. I feel the need for something fried and salted,' Louis finished without waiting for Harry's response and he hung up the phone, putting it under his pillow, and let himself enter a deep sleep. He let it slide that in the past when he couldn't sleep, a little conversation with Harry could relax himself enough to sleep and here he was again, finding Harry's voice key to his slumber. He ignored that if Harry wasn't so determined in calling and messaging him, he would probably have slept sooner.

He snuggled into his duvet covers but couldn't help feeling the need to hold onto something so he grabbed a pillow and hugged it tight. He smelt slight traces of Harry's perfume in it from when they last got together last week even though they shouldn't have because they were technically broken up. He needed to break the vicious cycle between them both soon and either enter a committed relationship again like Harry wanted or end things properly. Their current state of unofficially being together made him feel guilty but he really didn't want to move on. He also really didn't want to be with Harry properly again. It was hard to explain, wanting to be neither here nor there nor in the in-between state. He wanted his mum right now. And Zayn. And Harry. But mostly his mum and Zayn so he could vent off his feelings again and get some advice.

In the morning, he thought. In the morning I'll sort things out. Right now is Louis' sleeping time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone interested in this sort of thing, you can find me at my tumblr (http://ultraglamourous.tumblr.com/) where I sometimes post thoughts and feelings that need to be let loose so they don't stay in my mind, reblog things from time to time (I tend to like things instead at the moment lol so I can reblog later if time allows) and feed my space aesthetic. I love nebulas, stars, galaxy etc artwork and photos. I am also big on flowers.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry could cook. He could bake. He could whip up an entire country’s cuisine in an hour. He was effective, swift and most importantly, really knew how to feed Louis.

And so our story commences here with Louis sat in his open plan kitchen/ dining room/ lounge at the kitchen counter on one of those super tall kitchen counter chairs with Harry.

The alpha decided to make banana pancakes, topped with 2 portions of fruit, strawberries and blueberries, and drizzled honey. He was really into the whole eating 10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day kind of thing and made it his life’s mission to make everyone else eat 10 portions too.

Louis loved and loathed Harry’s ingenious creations. Love: because it was a sign of Harry’s care. Loathing: because the alpha had a pesky way of incorporating lots of vegetables Louis didn’t like into meals and Louis didn’t like that. Not even if he couldn’t taste the offending vegetables in question. For example, the mere knowledge that he was eating broccoli in a delicious chicken pie that didn’t taste of broccoli at all made him feel weird. And strangely elated because it meant Harry was a magician. He could magic away the taste of vegetables. And Louis liked magic. He also especially liked it when Harry would dress up as a magician and have Louis be his sexy, glamourous assistant during one of their amorous role plays after work, back when they were together.

Louis paused from eating his pancakes as his insides lurched at the thought of how close he and Harry were before and how they were now. Not much had changed and Harry was just rolling with whatever Louis wanted mostly in this in-between state of non-committal committed relationship. He felt guilty and gracious for asking Harry to come over early to make sure he woke up on time, got ready and had breakfast. He even dared to asked his former alpha to make him breakfast. And lunch. And accepted his offer to take him to work. He was probably sending out so many mixed messages to Harry and yet the alpha was taking it like a champ, putting on a genuine smile and pouring him a second cup of tea from a fucking posh little china tea pot.

Harry looked over at the omega who was entrenched in his own thoughts and then carried on eating and then stopped again to think.

‘Are you ok, Lou?’ He asked softly, pushing Louis’ refilled tea cup to him again.

Louis accepted the hot drink and drank a little before replying. He shook his head and looked down sadly. ‘No.’

Harry frowned and put an arm around Louis’ smaller frame. ‘What’s wrong, dear? Can I fix it, make it better?’

Louis thought about this seriously. He could let Harry in to his thoughts, tell him that he was taking him for granted and he didn’t like that. He could also let Harry be his boyfriend again. That would solve the guilty feelings. And probably solve most of his other issues. But Louis also knew he wasn’t ready to be with Harry again. Not yet.

‘No,’ Louis repeated again. He looked up at Harry with a concerned face and touched Harry’s cheek before realising what he was doing and quickly tried retracting it.

Harry, being an alpha after all and so much more athletic, plus a bit younger, had much faster reflexes and he caught hold of Louis’ hand and held it close to his cheek again. He rubbed his cheek against Louis’ hand and trapped the warmth between them.

Louis felt the stubble on Harry’s cheek and he wondered if Harry had shaved at all since the last time they got together physically. Last time, Harry was clean shaven. Today he wasn’t and Louis knew it took a while for the alpha to even grow facial hair. How long had it been since they last met really?  He couldn’t remember the date. He guessed Harry’s stubble was about half a cm long, which would probably make it two weeks at the most. How had he gone that long without the alpha? Louis blushed red as he then remembered the phone sex sessions they had during that time period. He couldn’t last long without the alpha at all. The cycle of relapse was too real.

Louis looked at Harry sadly and Harry looked at him sadly back.

‘I can help, you know,’ Harry said, continuing to nuzzle against Louis soft little hand.

He liked the heat coming from Louis' hand, it was a sign that he had the omega in front of him for real and it wasn’t a dream or imagination. He also really liked how he could feel the metal of the rring Louis was wearing on his ring finger turn from cold to warm. He especially liked how that ring was one he gave Louis and he knew that if Louis ever happened to remove it- not that he would- but if he did, there would be a very clear tell tale contrast in the paleness of the ring site with the rest of Louis’ skin. Harry liked the tan look and even though Louis insisted they had broken up, Louis maintained his fake tan.

‘I feel very guilty,’ Louis admitted. ‘I feel that I’m taking you for a ride and you’re being so nice, as you always are, you’re a proper gentleman, but I can’t guarantee we’ll ever get back together again. This whole thing is making me nervous. You holding my hand like this isn’t helping and neither is the way I’m behaving. I’m sending off too many mixed signals.’

Harry let go immediately of his grip on Louis’ hand and he smiled at him. ‘I’m my own person. I’m in control of what I’m doing and whatever it is that I do for you, I’m happy to do it. You’re not taking me for a ride. I’ll stop touching you if it makes you uncomfortable but your behaviour doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable at all so don’t worry about it or about the mixed signals. I listen to Bieber from time to time. I know the _what do you mean_ song,’ Harry said seriously and finished with a joke to make the air less tense.

Louis laughed. And cried out of sadness. But mainly laughed, wiping the tears out of his eyes. Harry wished he could wipe those tears away and that Louis would just cave in to their love so he wouldn’t be conflicted and have to cry at all.

Harry glanced at his watch. ‘It’s 7.15am. Do you want me to drop you off or do you want to go to work yourself? I think you can still make the 7.30am train if I drop you at the station. I don’t mind either; I just want to do what you want to do and whatever makes you feel better.’

Louis didn’t know what he wanted. He was technically ready for work having gotten ready before breakfast and his bag was prepared too. He just needed to put on his coat and shoes. And Harry was right, if they left now, if Harry dropped him off, he could make it to work on time. But then if he let Harry drive him to work.. No, they weren’t together.

Louis looked at Harry with confused eyes. ‘I, I, er, I can’t decide,’ he said pathetically and recoiled into his seat, hugging himself and then putting his hands on his face.

‘I want it to be like how we were and you take me to work because I honestly feel so lazy right now and I want you to keep pampering me. I like this, being taken care of,’ Louis whined through the hands on his face. ‘But I also can’t do this to us, it’s so not fair on you.’

‘Do you want me to decide for you?’ Harry asked.

‘No, yes, no, yes, fuck it, please...’

‘I’ll drive you to work.’

Louis moved his hands away from his face so he could smile at Harry appreciatively and mumble out a thanks. Then he promptly banged his forehead against the counter and held his face sideways on it. ‘I hate myself.’

‘For not being decisive?’ Harry asked pleasantly.

‘Yes. And for this. Just this. I can’t. Eurgh. I just. I can’t even finish my sentences. God. Why am I like this? Don’t answer that! I know why and I know you know why. I just, erugh!’ Louis exclaimed, writhing in agony while maintaining his position against the counter.

Harry giggled and adored the sight of the flustered omega. He knew he shouldn’t giggle but he couldn’t help it. His lover was so cute.

‘We’re not together.’ Louis stated.

‘I know,’ Harry said with a wink.

‘Harry,’ Louis warned.

‘God, you’re so cute!’

‘We’re not together. We’ve broken up...’

‘We have so much time left before you need to go to work. I could just eat you up right here and still get you in time for work. You’re adorable!’

‘Why do I feel like you’re not taking this break up seriously?’ Louis pondered, mostly to himself. He wondered if he himself was even taking the break up seriously.

‘Because I really am not, kitten,’ Harry beamed at Louis. ‘I will always try it on with you. I love you too much to let go.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone interested in this sort of thing, you can find me at my tumblr (http://ultraglamourous.tumblr.com/) where I sometimes post thoughts and feelings that need to be let loose so they don't stay in my mind, reblog things from time to time (I tend to like things instead at the moment lol so I can reblog later if time allows) and feed my space aesthetic. I love nebulas, stars, galaxy etc artwork and photos. I am also big on flowers.


	3. Chapter 3

Louis remembered what Harry said the night before on the phone and their conversations before then too.

‘I know. But this isn’t...I mean, is this healthy? Do you not feel weirded out or anxious about this? What happens if we don’t get back together? I’m not ready to get back together.’

‘I’m comfortable being with you, whether we’re together or not so I’m not exactly weirded out or anxious. I’m keeping an open mind to our future but I think it’s bright and I will always wait for you. My feelings aren’t wavering, they’re fixed, stable, permanent. I’m happy as we are, whatever we are. We have lots of time and we don’t have to label ourselves as anything,’ Harry explained gently to Louis. ‘I do think though you would feel a lot more relaxed if you knew how you wanted us to be,’ he added seriously.

‘This is coming back to me not being decisive, isn’t it, Haz?’ Louis asked.

‘Yeah,’ said Harry softly. ‘It is. But I’m happy to wait and I will do whatever makes you feel happy and secure.’

‘You’re so good, Alpha,’ Louis whined, crying a little bit again. ‘I’m such a stupid omega. My feelings are wavering for commitment but my love is true, I do love you, Harry. Any other omega would be simpler to be with compared to me. I just...’ Louis left into a full sob and Harry’s heart sank at the sight of his omega, in utter agony again over their status and overwhelmed with feelings.

He reached out to comfort the omega and enveloped Louis into a bear hug. ‘I’m good only for the right omega and I think in time, you’ll know what you want and then you’ll be whatever you think a ‘good omega’ is. As far as I’m concerned though, Louis, you think about my feelings and that’s what makes an omega good. Thier care and concern for their alpha.’

Louis shook his head in disagreement and Harry continued to utter kind words, positive phrases and stroked Louis hair until Louis ceased crying and spoke again.

‘What’s the time?’ Louis asked.

‘8.00am,’ Harry replied.

‘We have time then.’

‘Yeah, we do.’

‘Do you want a quick blowie?’

Harry froze and looked at the omega with alarm. ‘Lou...’

‘We have time. I bet you’re horny. You wanted to take me earlier. I can only do this much for now, though.’

‘Is this... what is this?’ Harry asked, unsure of how to proceed.

‘An offer for a complementary on the house blow job, Harold,’ Louis rolled his eyes. ‘Yay or nay?’

‘Nay, I don’t think it would be appropriate, Harry said kindly.

Louis’ eyes gelled with tears again. ‘Is this because I can’t decide how I want us to be? Is it because I’m a poorly behaving omega?!’

Harry stroked Louis hair again and kissed his head. ‘No, babe, I just think, we should go with the flow...’

‘What the fuck does that even mean!’ Louis spluttered between sobs.

‘It means...oh fuck, look, Louis, I am an alpha, I only have so much self restraint and I don’t think I could let you go with just a blow job and darling, we’ve been having a serious moment, I don’t think you’re ready for an intimate thing literally right now. It might make you feel more anxious about us and what we are. And I don’t want you to be ‘rewarding’ me with sexual favours because you think you’re taking me for granted.’

‘This isn’t about that,’ Louis whispered.

‘Then why do I get the feeling it is,’ Harry whispered back.

‘Well, maybe is it a little bit about that,’ Louis admitted.

Harry grunted in response and checked the time again. ‘Maybe we should think about leaving soon? I’ll wash up while you go and wash your face,’ he suggested.

Louis got up and moved towards the bathroom. He washed his face and patted it dry with a towel and then moisturised it. He looked at himself in the mirror and his attention turned to the absence of a mating bite on his neck. His neck was tanned but plain. No love bites scattered about, not even a ghost of a mating bite by an over eager partner like some omegas had.

This was definitely the crux of his and Harry’s problem, he concluded. The mating bite.

Where Harry was happy to claim Louis as his via the mating bite; marry him several times; shower him in kisses and cuddles and jewellery and lavish gifts; pound him hard and knot him and make Louis’ womb full of little babies; brand him with his love bites all over his body; Louis was just too scared to accept it all.

He had the perfect relationship, the perfect alpha. Someone who was loaded, worked occasionally for funsies, someone who was very capable and secure with himself and who understood Louis well, his needs and feelings and tried hard to cater for him.

Fuck, Louis thought. He really did have the one. And he knew it as well long ago too. But the thought of going through with the bite meant having sex with Harry during a combined heat and rut and he wasn’t ready for that. Not yet. He was so terrified. And so he thought it might be better to separate for a while. But maybe that wasn’t a good idea. Maybe he should’ve just told Harry why he was scared. Harry would understand, Louis thought. He always does.

Louis dabbed on a little bit of perfume on his arms and neck and reapplied a bit of pink Vaseline and a dash of blush on his cheeks. He felt a bit perkier now that he had cried, been comforted by his alpha and realised what he needed to do.

When he walked out of the bathroom, he saw Harry had just finished washing up and was now drying cutlery with a tea towel.

‘You look great,’ Harry smiled. ‘Ready for work?’

‘Yeah,’ Louis said happily. He made up his mind now and felt better.

‘Shall we head off then?’ Harry asked, putting down the cuterly and tea towel. He reached for his and Louis’ bag and keys.

‘Yep,’ said Louis, getting closer to the alpha.

‘You’re super smiley now!’ Harry gave Louis a thumbs up as he moved away from Louis and slipped on his shoes.

Disappointed with Harry’s movement away, Louis didn’t let it show and he put on his own shoes and grabbed his coat, holding it under an arm.

The drive to the office building where Louis worked was mostly silent and full of smiles. Harry didn’t seem his self assured self right now and that made Louis worry because suddenly it seemed that their emotions were flipped and he didn’t know what to do.

Harry pulled up into a parking bay outside Louis’ building and they sat in an awkward lull for a moment or two until Louis spoke. ‘Thank You, Harry. For everything this morning.’

‘That’s alright, babe.’

Louis reached out to hold Harry’s hand and he smiled at him. ‘I have made a decision on what I want to do.’

‘Oh yeah?,’ Harry said breathily. He began to quiver slightly.

‘Yeah...’ Louis whispered and he undid his belt so he could move closer to Harry and then kissed him full on the mouth. ‘I decided to choose us.’

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone interested in this sort of thing, you can find me at my tumblr (http://ultraglamourous.tumblr.com/) where I sometimes post thoughts and feelings that need to be let loose so they don't stay in my mind, reblog things from time to time (I tend to like things instead at the moment lol so I can reblog later if time allows) and feed my space aesthetic. I love nebulas, stars, galaxy etc artwork and photos. I am also big on flowers.


End file.
